It was a chance encounter that altered the course of Jennie Benzon’s career. While serving as director of operations at McDonald’s Corp., Benzon was seated next to a white-haired man during a fundraiser. That man happened to be Bill Marriott, executive chairman of one of the largest hospitality companies in the world.
“I’m thinking, ‘Oh my God, this can’t be real,’ and we had a delightful conversation,” she recalls. They disagreed on some things, including her contention that Chick-fil-A, not Burger King, stood to become McDonald’s biggest competitor. A month later, Benzon clipped an article about Chick-fil-A and sent it to Marriott with a note. Within a week or so, the hospitality executive asked Benzon to come in. That meeting more than 15 years ago opened the door for Benzon’s entry into Marriott International Inc., working her way up from vice president of owner and franchise services to her present role as vice president of franchising for Marriott brands,…
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